I am done for this month, mamas. I definitely spent more this month than I expected, and will try again net month to reign in unnecessary spending. I didn't make my NS goal, but did make my savings goal and came in under my grocery budget. I feel like I've learned a lot by doing this thread.

On Thursday, we are headed to Disneyland for 4 nights, and I will not be worrying about $$ there. We've saved and planned for this trip for a while, and it is the first "hotel" vacation our family has taken in almost 8 years (we usually visit family when travelling)! Congrats for making it to the home stretch! See you in October!

I did not make it to the end of the month 2 life lessons yesterday...
1. When the baby does not sleep, Tim Hortons sounds far too tempting. Even though I brought water bottles, still $8 for crappy food.
2. Do.not.go.out. Went to a film festival on a free ticket and was sucked into beer and wings after the movie way too easily. Worth it, but

Luckily DH has 3 paychecks next month so the extra one will cover the installment we have to pay on the condo's legal fees in October. DH has also concluded from my total failure to stay on budget (ever) that we need a bigger household budget, so I will have a little extra room next month to make up the overage. I'll be starting my job so we'll be OK, but I'm still mad at myself

1. Well... I knew going in that I had a problem with impulsive clothing purchases for myself and this month continued that trend. $240 spent on new clothes, none of which was necessary.

But I'm working on that and working on trying to be satisfied with what I have. I may start ~budgeting~ a couple hundred dollars a month for my clothing budget and just come to peace with my own vanity.

I'm vain, Mamas. New clothes definitely bring me happy.

2. Cat. $200 went to the adoption fee and upkeep of our new cat. He was worth every penny of that. I'm in love with the new cat and so happy we have him.

3. $130 went for take-out food, Starbucks, eating out.

Now that stuff I'm not so happy about. It didn't bring me sufficient joy like the clothes and the cat did.

Okay...maybe the Starbucks did

But the other food did NOT.

So next month I'm starting a no-fast-food goal. I would like to reign in that aspect of my spending.

1: Paid phone bill2: $82.00 in groceries!!!!! (I didn't think I was capable! ) and $8.58 for budgeted lunch out with family. $20.00 used jammies for DD, shoes for kids.3: $15.00 on a rocking horse. Trouble with garage sales is that you can still do unnecessary spending and justify it because it's cheap. .

Took out $200.00 cash for an upcoming road trip. I'll try to track stuff while I'm gone! 4: $25.00 gas, $3.00 "obligatory" purchases to justify using gas station bathrooms.5: Although to be fair, my spendthrift MIL insists on buying us EVERYTHING!!6: Spoiled by my parents7: Lattes out.8: Day at zoo, but we budgeted for it in our vacation expenses.9: Dinner out.10: Unnecessary--Dinner at Mexican restaurant. Necessary--$90.00 night in hotel. I MISS traveling abroad, where there's affordable lodging! 11: Unnecessary--We bought sandwiches, lattes at a gas station, and ordered pizza when we got home from our trip. Our cupboards are BARE right now. Necessary--$38.00 in gas.12: BACK HOME and BACK TO THE NO-SPEND GRINDSTONE!! $112.00 in groceries. Paid utility and repair bills.13: $25.00 yarn for Christmas gift that I'm knitting. $5.00 admission to bouncy castle place.14: But still an expensive day. $1500 to finish off closing costs for our refi and $250 for a home energy audit (I hope and PRAY this was worth it!!)15: Minor upset in the No-Spend Challenge--frozen yogurt for $3.59. But it's PAY DAY!!! 16: Haven't had a "" day for awhile!! $33.00 gas, $8.50 for budgeted weekly lunch out, $25.00 in dog food.17: $97.00 in groceries. I ROOOOOCK!!!18: Ran errands, forgot to pack snacks, and paid for that mistake with a hungry tummy. Set me back $3.20.19:20: $10.00 tip for otherwise free (gift cert) spa service21: $11.00 more yarn for Christmas gifts22: $4.50 in produce (budgeted), $3.50 at TCBY (non-budgeted). Seriously, I've GOT to get better at packing snacks for running errands!23: Budgeted lunch out $8.5024: T minus 6 days until payday. 25: $10.00 tip for (gift certificate) facial (budgeted), $2.00 garage sale Christmas gift to store away for DS (budgeted), $2.50 for used hardback book that I don't need (non-budgeted...obviously).26: $50.00 in CO2 detector and winterization supplies from hardware store27:28: Paid bills, including first mortgage payment on the refi. 29: $136.17 in groceries. ONE. MORE. DAY!!!30: Budgeted lunch for $9.50

I gave up mid month when I realized how out of control certain spend items where. I *though* they were high but I hadn't tracked. This was so helpful. I realize that I need better planning in place for October and will start again. Thanks!

1.
2. $2 donation to museum, my dad bought all treats at the fair!
3. grocery $84 Not bad, got some fruit for dry for school treats
4.
5. $5 jacket at goodwill, $6 lunch out with mom, $90 two blue tooths, new web cam, web cam for MIL (didn't need the new webcam, but it was a great deal!), $17 groceries, $9 stamps, $2 new toothbrush
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9. planned grocery spending $40
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11. $18 camping
12. planned breakfast out $42 High but it was a buffet, so lunch too.
13. $20 grocery
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16. $50 groceries, $26 on a set of glass storage containers with lids. certainly didn't NEED those but it was a good deal at Costco (I think?) and I could use a few more.
17. $16.50 groceries
18. $38 gift which included a $4 card cause I wasn't prepared with my own
19. $8 beer (still within my fun money budget!)
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22. $17 goodwill, only came in for about $7 of that.
23. $15 apples for applesauce, $35 supplements, $50 chicken deposit
24. $20 groceries
25. $27 rubber boots for me, $48 groceries
26. didn't do as well as I wanted to, but ok. $22 lunch, $5 snacks
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WOO HOO! My goal for the month was to finish this darn thing just this once and I did it. I am SO glad I stuck with it. This has definitely helped me to be mindful of what I am spending my dollars on on a daily basis. Heck, I wanted to update daily, but I held back. I think I finished on a great note although I can say that the only reason I didn't spend anything was that I was too lazy to go anywhere! See ya'll in October.

Nina you did fine! These challenges are HARD. hard. hard. Just sticking through to the end is winning, in my book.

Aw thanks I actually do feel better. Broke, but better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom

But I'm working on that and working on trying to be satisfied with what I have. I may start ~budgeting~ a couple hundred dollars a month for my clothing budget and just come to peace with my own vanity.

I need to work on this too. I read a lot of fashion stuff and try to pick my purchases so they will work for a long time. I don't feel bad about paying full price for things because my size always seems to go before it hits the sale rack or outlet or whatever.

It is HARD to save money on clothes. Cheap clothes often don't hold up or I don't like them as much and don't get as much wear out of them.